1 . When 62-year-old fisherman Kpana Charlie finished the day’s catch, he liked to settle into a wooden chair, thinking about his childhood. Back then, his life on Sierra Leone’s Nyangai Island seemed excellent. He spent endless hours playing with his friends on the island’s white beaches. Whenever he wanted to avoid having to do his housework, he could simply disappear into the forest that covered much of the island. He remembers as recently as ten years ago, it still measured some 2, 300 feet from end to end.

Today, Nyangai is disappearing before his very eyes, covered by the endless sea. The forests are gone. And the land on which Charlie’s family home once stood, has long since disappeared beneath the waves.

In fact, the local government has responded to the sharp increase of sea level by building a concrete (混凝土制的) seawall along the length of the town. But in the many smaller coastal towns and villages in the area, there simply aren’t the resources. Then, the government made a project to protect some of the settlements by planting trees, but this has had limited success. With the population relying on woods for building and smoking-fish, few trees lived longer than the project, which ended in 2021.

Sierra Leone has been identified as one of the world’s most weak countries to the effects of climate change, despite having little influence on global CO₂ emissions (排放). “Weak countries should be getting some support from wealthy nations to strengthen their climate defenses (防御),” says Gabriel Kpaka, the head of the country’s Meteorological Agency. “But we’re not really seeing that.”

With global sea level expected to rise by anywhere between 1 and 3 feet by the end of the century, along with an increase in extreme weather events, the experience of this West African island offers an understanding of the possible future of countless other low-lying areas around the world.

1. Why does the author tell Charlie’s story in paragraph 1?

A．To describe his wonderful life at present.	B．To offer-readers-background information
C．To call on local people to protect the seen	D．To attract more visitors to Nyangai Island.

2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The reasons for the changes on the island.	B．The rich natural species in coastal areas.
C．The measures taken to deal with rising sea level.	D．The way to build a concrete seawall on the island.

3. What can be done to help Nyangai Island according to Kpaka?

A．Local government should build a stronger seawall.

B．Local people on the island limit their CO2 emissions.

C．Countries in low-lying areas work together for their rights.

D．Rich countries should offer support about climate defenses.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards the future of other low-lying areas?

A．Concerned.

B．Doubtful.

C．Uncertain.

D．Positive.

2 . Not all birds sing, but those that do—some several thousand species—do it a lot.

Iris Adam, a scientist at the University of Southern Denmark says, birds have “a drive to sing”. This means hours every day for some species, and that takes a lot of energy. However, singing can be dangerous. “As soon as you sing, you show yourself, for example, where you are and that you even exist—all of that immediately is out in the open for predators (捕食性动物) , for everybody,” she says.

In a new study published in the journal Nature Communications, Adam and her colleagues offer a new explanation for why birds take that risk and whether the muscles (肌肉) that produce birdsong require daily exercise. Adam designed an experiment on zebra finches—little Australian songbirds. Her experiment included keeping male birds in the dark to sever the connection between their brains and-their singing muscles, which prevented them from singing.

After a week, the birds’ singing muscles lost half of their strength. Three weeks later, they were back to the same level when they were juveniles (幼鸟) and never had sung before. When Adam played one of the male’s songs for: a group of female birds, six out of nine preferred the song that came from a male who had been using his singing muscles daily.

Adam’s conclusion (结论) is that songbirds need to exercise their singing muscles to produce top-performance song. If they don’t sing, they lose performance, and their songs get less attractive to females, which is bad.

“What they stress is that you need a lot of practice to improve what you’re doing,” says Ana Amador, a scientist at the University of Buenos Aires. It’s a good rule to live by, whether you’re a bird or a human—practice makes perfect, at least when it comes to singing one’s heart out.

1. Why can singing be dangerous for birds?

A．They can drive predators to sing.	B．They never protect their areas.
C．Their singing can attract predators.	D．Singing does damage to their muscles.

2. What does the underlined word “sever” probably mean in paragraph 3?

A．Remember.

B．End.

C．Risk.

D．Keep.

3. What do we know about Adam’s experiment?

A．It mainly focused on male birds and juveniles.

B．It aimed to protect zebra finches from possible risks.

C．It strengthened birds’ singing muscles in four weeks.

D．It proved exercising singing muscles matters to birds.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the text?

A．Iris Adam’s work is a big success	B．Singing can be dangerous for birds
C．Birds sing to keep muscles in shape	D．Birds and human beings need practice

3 . After the doctor’s examination, little Lucy was diagnosed (诊断) with a serious disease. Doctors had to perform an operation on her to save her life. Facing a year of treatment, Lucy ________ her mother for a puppy (小狗). Then, the lovely puppy Lucy named Bobby ________ left her side, keeping her company and sitting beside her as she ________ her life after the operation. “I get along well with Bobby, which ________ me that animals can think, feel and suffer as much as we do,” says Lucy.

In 1994, Lucy graduated from college and began a ________ in film. During her free time, she ________ as a photographer for animal rights groups in 2002.

A year later she ________ her film career. Then she worked full-time as an animal caregiver at Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York. “Farm ________ are typically very shy,” says Lucy. “But in a loving environment, you begin to see how ________ and lovely they are.”

Lucy learned farm life and with her partner, Doug Abel, a film editor, set up the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization aimed at ________ farm animals. Through their website, they ________ the backstory and personality of each of the more than 350 animals living at the farm, ________ them and protected them from being sold.

To help more animals, Lucy and Doug ________ the sanctuary to a 150-acre farm in High Falls, New York, which has a fully equipped kitchen and a dining hall in addition to a barn. The new space has ________ their team of 17 members, to host meaningful classes and a kids’ camp.

“People who came here ________ spending time with the animals. It’s therapy (治疗) for them,” says Lucy.

1.

A．asked

B．punished

C．paid

D．praised

2.

A．surprisingly

B．secretly

C．hardly

D．immediately

3.

A．belonged to

B．led to

C．adapted to

D．referred to

4.

A．warns

B．confirms

C．cures

D．orders

5.

A．relationship

B．job

C．lesson

D．novel

6.

A．regarded

B．revised

C．recognised

D．volunteered

7.

A．quit

B．investigated

C．checked

D．tracked

8.

A．plants

B．workers

C．animals

D．environment

9.

A．friendly

B．terrible

C．ugly

D．stupid

10.

A．trading

B．damaging

C．controlling

D．rescuing

11.

A．invented

B．described

C．believed

D．protected

12.

A．shot

B．protested

C．threatened

D．helped

13.

A．ruined

B．moved

C．donated

D．sold

14.

A．pretended

B．forced

C．allowed

D．hated

15.

A．imagined

B．loved

C．refused

D．admitted

4 . These four good habits will improve some aspects of your life.

Do one thing at a time

    1    . In truth, it’s not the best way to get things done. Instead of jumping from one thing to the next like a ping-pong ball, stick with one task as long as you can. That concentrated time you spend on one thing will be far more productive.     2    .

Create a place for everything

Imagine all things in your home have a place where they live. For example, toys go into a basket when they’re not in use.     3    . If you regularly (定期的) have lots of things that have nowhere to go, it may be time to make some hard choices about what you really want to keep.

    4    

Get up at the same time every day, preferably all seven days a week. A consistent (一致的) sleep schedule helps form your body’s circadian rhythm (昼夜节律). Sleeping late on the weekends is not bad. But it feels better to get regular rests every day.

Learn how to say no

Saying yes to everything can be a difficult habit to break for most of us. But learning how to draw a line is one of the best things you can do for yourself. You have the power not to agree to help everyone else with their problems.     5    . Your time is just as valuable as everyone else’s.

A．Set a realistic goal

B．Keep a consistent sleep schedule

C．In this way you spare lots of time for yourself

D．If so, tidying up your home gets a whole lot quicker

E．Most of us sometimes do several things at the same time

F．Being efficient with the time you have is crucial for productivity

G．Instead, you will easily feel tired when trying to finish three things meantime

5 . Zhang Zening, a hanfu supporter and lover in Nanjing, East China’s Jiangsu Province, started a surprising journey eight years ago to restore (使复原) this traditional Chinese clothing. Inspired by ancient murals (壁画), Zhang, 41, studied the artistry of hanfu in various museums, changing paintings into touchable and wearable pieces.

Upon graduating from college, Zhang first worked in material research, burying herself in the laboratory, conducting chemical experiments for the study of raw materials. At the time, she was one of the earliest lovers of hanfu in China, frequently organizing various hanfu activities in her spare time. Now as the owner of a hanfu studio, Zhang has worked with women’s re-employment organizations, looking for full-time stay-at-home women with sewing (缝纫) skills. This matched with her need for the production of hanfu.

Around 2015, Zhang began to focus independently on the process of hanfu restoration. In that year, she visited Dunhuang, Northwest China’s Gansu Province where she was attracted by the beautiful murals there, wondering how she could possibly change them into beautiful costumes.

In the past years, she has traveled to more than 10 cities across China, constantly studying murals and conducting research to restore hanfu from different dynasties. She managed to restore more than 50 sets. She referred to different materials including various murals, other cultural relics and literature to make sure that the restoration is as correct as possible. Thanks to her work, many young people wear restored hanfu when they visit museums, and Zhang is excited to see more of them doing so.

1. What can we learn about Zhang Zening according to paragraph 1?

A．She longed to be a scientist.

B．She was addicted to traveling widely.

C．She was fond of Chinese traditional art.

D．She enjoyed watching museum visitors.

2. Why does Zhang work with some organizations?

A．To recover traditional Chinese clothing.

B．To reduce employment pressure.

C．To increase her business influence.

D．To help the companies in trouble.

3. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Dunhuang?

A．To explain how hard Zhang works.

B．To show the start of Zhang’s independent hanfu restoration work.

C．To promote various Dunhuang’s artworks.

D．To introduce Zhang’s rich travel experiences.

4. Which of the following best describes Zhang’s restoration work?

A．Effective.

B．Short-lasting.

C．Dangerous.

D．Costly.

6 . Frosty Ridge Resort (FRR) is a popular tourist attraction with a long history. Do you want to join the proud tradition of service at FRR? Welcome to join us!

Parking Host

The responsibility of a parking host is to help guests properly park their vehicles (交通工具), informing guests of parking steps and answering questions. You must be at least 18 years of age. A driver’s license (执照) is required. It’s necessary to have a team player attitude and be able to work with people of diverse cultures. The ability to work with different groups of people in a calm and professional manner is also a must.

Child Care Provider

Previous child care experience is preferred. You should provide quality child care, by meeting the needs of various age groups and guest demands in a positive way. Show positive communication skills, and offer children funny activities. Climb stairs to work space and work at a desk or computer work station for one or two hours.

Ski Instructor

Teach ski lessons to guests with the specific focus on students’ goals while emphasizing (强调) safety, fun and learning. You should be able to ski or snowboard. Great customer service skills and good adaptability are required. In particular, unlike the two positions above, you must work during the Christmas week.

1. What should people in the parking host position do?

A．Teach ski lessons to guests.

B．Help guests park their cars.

C．Look after guests’ children.

D．Answer questions from FRR director.

2. What is specially required for a ski instructor?

A．Being communicative.	B．Providing fun for guests.
C．Working during Christmas week.	D．Having related working experience.

3. Who is the text intended for?

A．Job hunters.

B．Project managers.

C．Local visitors.

D．College students.

7 . There are some places around the world you can travel to with your family.

London

London is situated in southeastern England. Home to over 8 million people, London has very convenient transportation and it’s possible to explore London on foot. At the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben’s comforting chimes (钟声) ring throughout the city on time every hour. Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous palaces in the world.

Copenhagen

Copenhagen sits on the eastern coast of the Danish islands of Zealand and Amager. The city has more than 250 miles of bike lanes, and cycling is a way of life for all ages. The Little Mermaid is one of Copenhagen’s most recognizable characters, which is created from a fairy tale. Catch the ceremony for the changing of the guards, which takes place every day at noon. For more fairy-tale magic, head to the Tivoli Gardens.

New York

New York is situated in the northeastern region of the USA. More than 8.8 million people live there and the city attracts millions of visitors a year. The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The museum is located in two iconic sites in New York City — The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters.

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a small island that lies at the south of Spain. Just an about 3-hour flight from London, it has over 300 days of sunshine each year. Take the cable car right to the top of this about 1,400-foot high limestone ridge (石灰岩山脉) and enjoy the spectacular views. Visitors come together here to watch the only wild monkey population on the European continent.

1. Which place best suits children who love fairy tales?

A．Copenhagen.

B．London.

C．Gibraltar.

D．New York.

2. What can people do in New York?

A．See the Little Mermaid.	B．Listen to Big Ben’s chimes.
C．Appreciate Buckingham Palace.	D．Visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

3. What can we know about Gibraltar?

A．It is sunny all the year round.	B．It is 3 hours’ drive from London.
C．People can admire amazing scenery there.	D．People can play with monkeys in person there.

8 . Remote learning (远程学习) was challenging for us, especially for a teacher like me. I do not like to ________ in the school building. We are often looking for field ________ or any reason to get out of the building, whether that’s a community walk or going through the ________ in D. C. So one thing that I wanted to ________ was experiential learning opportunities. That’s ________ through a virtual setting, but I thought of a way to solve it. I started to ________ museums myself and take pictures. One day I walked around the museum with my laptop and ________ students to see where we would go if we were in-person through live streaming. You’d be surprised — they were rather ________.

A lot of my students’ parents were first ________ or were on the front lines, so my students’ siblings (兄弟姐妹) were also watching and trying to get their own ________. Therefore, I’d be talking to my students and their younger siblings in the background. I learned all their names and their ________ names. I’d call attendance (考勤) and ________ all of them — snakes, dogs, cats, everybody — were there. And they were so excited, ________ the ones that didn’t turn on their ________ at first. They’d say, “Ah, Mr. Dias, you didn’t say hi to Pinky, my dog who’s right here.” We did anything and everything to keep them ________ for those entire eight hours of the day.

1.

A．wait

B．stay

C．sleep

D．play

2.

A．lectures

B．plans

C．trips

D．forms

3.

A．libraries

B．shops

C．streets

D．museums

4.

A．continue

B．start

C．complete

D．organize

5.

A．encouraging

B．confusing

C．challenging

D．relaxing

6.

A．visit

B．design

C．build

D．draw

7.

A．followed

B．warned

C．forced

D．allowed

8.

A．bored

B．excited

C．annoyed

D．scared

9.

A．employers

B．customers

C．responders

D．leaders

10.

A．education

B．attention

C．destination

D．honour

11.

A．neighbors’

B．parents’

C．friends’

D．pets’

12.

A．depend on

B．make sure

C．insist on

D．figure out

13.

A．scientifically

B．absolutely

C．especially

D．evidently

14.

A．camera

B．button

C．television

D．phone

15.

A．embarrassed

B．active

C．addicted

D．normal

9 . Chinese astronauts entered a new laboratory that arrived at the country’s orbiting space station in 2022. The Wentian lab module (舱) launched Sunday aboard a Long March-5B Y3 rocket from a Chinese space center on the southern island of Hainan, official media reported in 2022. The flight lasted 13 hours. The module is the second of three that will complete the country’s Tiangong space station.

Chinese officials said they expected the space station to be fully operational by the end of 2022. Three Chinese astronauts who began a six-month stay on the space station in June oversaw the Wentian lab’s arrival and connection to the main module. The orbiting labs are designed to permit astronauts to carry out scientific and biological experiments and test new technologies.

Fully completed, the station is designed to house up to six astronauts at a time. The astronauts aboard the space station included commander Chen Dong and team members Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe.

Hours after the arrival of the module, state broadcaster CCTV showed video of the astronaut s floating inside the new lab. CCTV described the launch and linking operation as “a complete success”. China’s state-run Global Times newspaper reported that the 23-ton Wentian lab is heavier than any other single module spacecraft currently in space. The module serves as the main entry and exit point for future space vehicle activities.

The completed Tiangong structure is about one-fifth the size of the International Space Station (ISS), Reuters news agency reported. The space station project marks the latest step forward for China’s space program.

Previously, China successfully landed a spacecraft on Mars. The Tianwen-1 spacecraft carried a robotic explorer, called Zhurong. The explorer, or rover, is expected to measure atmospheric conditions and magnetic forces during its search for signs of ancient life on Mars.

1. What does Global Times newspaper stress about the module?

A．Its heavy body.	B．Its unique shape.
C．Its great success.	D．Its high quality.

2. What is the author’s attitude towards China’s space station project?

A．Grateful.

B．Positive.

C．Cautious.

D．Doubtful.

3. What does the last paragraph talk about?

A．Major discoveries on Mars.	B．Bad living conditions on Mars.
C．Another space exploration project.	D．People’s interest in Mars exploration.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．China — Leading Space Exploration

B．Chinese Astronauts’ Life on Space Station

C．Chinese Space Station — Smaller than the ISS

D．Chinese New Laboratory Sent to Space Station

10 . Mounting evidence suggests that longtime sitting — a main part of modern-day life — is risky to your health, even if you exercise regularly. Based on these findings, doctors advise all adults to sit less and move more. But how often do we need to get up from our chairs? And for how long?

Few studies have compared multiple options to come up with the answer most office workers want: What is the least amount of activity needed to counteract the health effects of a workday filled with sitting?

Now a study by Columbia University exercise physiologists has an answer. Unlike other studies that test one or two activity options, the study tested five different exercise “snacks”, or short bursts of activity after a period of time’s sitting: one minute of walking after every 30 minutes of sitting, one minute after 60 minutes, five minutes every 30, five minutes every 60 and no walking.

The proper amount of movement, the researchers found, was five minutes of walking every 30 minutes. This was the only amount that greatly lowered both blood sugar and blood pressure. In addition, this walking routine had an impressive effect on how the participants responded to large meals, reducing blood sugar spikes (峰值) by 58% compared with sitting all day. Taking a walking break every 30 minutes for one minute also provided modest benefits for blood sugar levels throughout the day, while walking every 60 minutes, either for one minute or five minutes, provided no benefit.

What we know now is that for best health, you need to move regularly at work, in addition to a daily exercise routine. While that may sound impractical, the findings show that even small amounts of walking spread through the work day can greatly lower your risk of heart disease and other chronic (慢性的) illnesses.

1. What does the study by Columbia University focus on?

A．What adults should do to keep exercising regularly.

B．When and where we need to sit less and move more.

C．Why longtime sitting every day is risky to our health.

D．How often and how long we need to walk from our chairs.

2. What does the underlined word “counteract” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Cancel out.

B．Give up.

C．Add to.

D．Benefit from.

3. Which walking pattern is the most useful for health according to the text?

A．One minute of walking after every 30 minutes of sitting.

B．Five minutes of walking after every 30 minutes of sitting.

C．One minute of walking after every 60 minutes of sitting.

D．Five minutes of walking after every 60 minutes of sitting.

4. What does the last paragraph show?

A．The risks of heart disease and other illnesses.

B．The daily exercise routine suitable for everyone.

C．The suggestions on the health of the office staff.

D．The ways of moving regularly at work every day.